Baby Eczema

My son had the same problem. It was a food allergy and it was all red foods. Carrots, sweet potatoes, squash. Anything red.
Just something to consider!

Hi,
I had excema for years and years. Tried all the cortisone creams, and other things from the doc.

What finally made it go away and stay away was herbal savvy salve by Country Comfort. I used the golden seal/myrrh first then the calendula blend.

They also have a baby cream.

P.

all great sugestions, Also, switch him to soy formula if he is not on it already, or if he is breast fed avoid dairy products. Eczema is inflamed by irritants on the outside like soaps, detergents and lotions, but also on the inside. Children and adults with eczema also tend to have dairy allergies, and although they may have no apparent issues digesting the dairy, the effects show up in other areas. I am always amazed that doctors don't point out this correlation more often as I have found it to be true time and again in my family and with many others. They would seemingly rather treat the symptoms than the cause, and who wants to put their child on steroids?

My son is 3.5 years old and had eczema in various creases in his body. Initially his pediatrician thought it was no big deal and told me to use hydrocortisone cream. That worked as long as I applied it every time he bathed, which I knew was too often. I was introduced to the Arbonne products and used them on my son and his eczema is completely gone. I now share these products with others who are looking to see results for not only eczema but for other skin issues as well. I would love to give you a free sample of our baby line for you to try. I have had so many adults and children see their eczema completely cleared up as a result of using our products. Please contact me if you're interested in trying the products. If not, I agree that I would be extremely cautious as to what you're using on your baby as so many companies hide mineral oil and animal ingredients with various names in their list of ingredients. I would be happy to help you with reading labels too so that you can be educated on what is safe for your baby to use. Best wishes!

Hi S.- my son is now 2 1/2, and as an infant he started out with eczema, then it went to food allergy and asthma, apparently this is the common order. My son would get eczema around his mouth and on his bottom. His bottom would get so bad it would bleed. We had a number of prescriptions for both his mouth and bottom, that either worked after a while or did not work. My mother had sent me a cream called Renew-Intensive Skin Therapy by Melaleuca I use it all over, his face and "diaper rash area" included once daily. He literally has not had a rash on his face or bottom since I started doing this, probably about 4-5 months now. All it is is a cream you use on your body or hands and it has worked like a charm. Melaleuca can only be ordered on line Melaleuca.com. I have never purchased it myself, my mother gets it for me. I highly recommend it! Take care- T.

UPDATE 4/2/08 - I had a follow up visit with the pediatrician and saw a different doctor than last time. Just to clarify on my last post - we talked about the use of hydrocortisone. Since I'd stopped using it, my son's cheeks worsened (hence the follow up visit). Doc said that yes, prolonged use of hydrocortisone is NOT recommended, esp. on the face, but when the skin is very bad, it is often unfortunately the only thing that helps. He said you can use it on the face very sparingly and just on the most problematic spots. Once the area improves, stop hydrocort use and continue using milder treatments.

Also, I will be ordering the Arbonne Baby Lotion, but it's off the market at the moment. Seems that there was one complaint and they sent the formula back to the lab. What a great company to take their customer's feedback so "to heart". I've never used their products before, but the fact that they're so conscious of client feedback makes a great impression on me.

Original Post:
Hi S.,

I was just at the pediatrician's office this morning for my 4 month olds well-check and talked to the doc about my son's eczema. I've been using hydrocortisone on his cheeks off and on for about 2 months to treat the chapped skin and he said DO NOT use hydrocortisone on the face! It can bleach the skin with prolonged use - yikes. I'd been using it based on the recommendation of another ped. in the same office since our 2 month check up!

I've also been using Aquaphor for about a week, which he said he recommends to all his patients and it has definitely helped my son. Now that the eczema is under control, I'm switching to Arbonne baby lotion. We use straight up olive oil in the bath, which leaves his skin feeling great, too.

I was going to cut dairy out of my diet and see if that made a difference, but since I've seen such a turn around in less than a week by switching products, I figure that's not the issue. Best of luck!

Hi S.,
I'm surprised that no one mentioned Arbonne Baby Care products! I have seen the best results, by far for eczema problems!! email me for more info. Also, make sure to do away with ALL petroleum products - mineral oil, etc. There are many petroleum products and harsh fragrances in many of the OTC baby care lines. Use an enzyme based detergent and no fabric softener. Only bathe several times a week, not everyday. The alergy testing sounds smart too! I wish you well,
M.

Oh my goodness - S., I can definitely recommend a non-steroidal & safe cream to use for your baby. It's inexpensive and we love it! It's clinically proven to be even better than the leading eczema cream (Eucerin). Our son no longer has eczema (sweet!) and we've recommended it to our friends who also have kids with eczema. They've seen wonderful results too. Also, it's been great for everyday dry skin and even for our daughter who has hypersensitive skin.

We shop direct for it so we get an awesome price. They'll deliver it directly to you in about 3 days. Call ###-###-#### or email me (____@____.com) with a good time and phone number to reach you and I'll be happy to get you the info you need so you can get it too. We are so happy we did!

Talk to you soon!
A. C.

A little bit about me
I'm a 38 yr old mom of 2 & step-mom of 3, wife to my hubby & best friend, Speech Pathologist by degree but my passion is working from home (I love my job! ~ www.Great2bHomeOnline.com)

Hi, S.! Your poor baby!
If you're formula feeding, I think it's most likely an allergy from the formula type that he's on. I'd talk to his doctor about switching.
If you're breastfeeding, of course, that's probably not the problem. It could be an allergy to something in your diet, such as dairy.
Hope you find a solution soon!

Hi S.!

My middle child has very sensitive, apinful skin when he was little until a friend introduced me to Arbonne. They have an awesome baby line that has totally changed my childs skin! In the winter months, I put 2 scoops of Awaken sea salt scrub in all of my kids baths for soft, beautiful skin! Check out my ____@____.com. I am so convinced that you will love the products that I would be happy to give you my 35% discount on your first order!:)L. S.

Both of my daughters had eczema starting at 10 weeks and it turned out to be food in my diet (both were breastfeeding). I had to cut out dairy, eggs, nuts and wheat with my 2nd - it was hard but worth it to see her skin baby soft and completely clear. I was able to add wheat and eggs back in after she turned 1 but she tested positive for a milk allergy (we had her tested at 8 months) so I still avoid all dairy. She's 16 months now and I'm just starting to try adding nuts back to my diet. She can eat wheat now but we do not give her any dairy, eggs or nuts. If your son is on formula, there are hypo-allergenic versions - Nutrimegin and Alimentum I think. Expensive, but again, that baby soft skin is worth it!

Discovered the food link too late with my first and she still has bad eczema and asthma at age 4. With both of them, we do a layer of Cetaphil lotion every night and then follow that up with head-to-toe Aquaphor. Greasy, but it definitely helps. The other thing we had to do was use natural laundry detergent and NO dryer sheets. I also learned that as much as I didn't want to use the steriod cream, if I use it early when I first see the rash starting, I end up using very little of it and it helps quickly.

Good luck!

Both of my daughters kept getting a rash around their mouth and I finally figured out that it was because I had used wipes (didn't matter what kind) around their mouth. As long as I didn't use them on their face they were ok. I could use them anywhere else on their body but not there.

Of course, you probably aren't using them around the baby's eyes, but you might try eliminating the use of them around the child's face and see if that works.

Good luck,
Barb J.

This morning we went to my daughters 4 month check up & her skin was one of the topics. I've used the Eucerin cream & vasoline niether did anything for her little cheeks. She flips on her stomach now to sleep, constantly rubbing against the blankets. I started using Renew Lotion which has been working quite well the past couple weeks. She's only really red when she first wakes up. Today the ped. told me that if the rash doesn't go completely away with the lotion to use the cortizone cream or mineral oil. I feel every baby is different so you may have to do trial n error. I've read ur other responses n will not use the cortizone. I had cut dairy n switched to soy with no real difference. Could be allergies too. Have you changed any products in you house lately?

Hope this helps some.
Good luck!!

Hi S.,
My 7 year old daughter has had bouts of eczema off and on for years. She has never had it on her eyes however. I am a big user of natural, non-prescription products. There are many products you can find at Nature's Way or Whole Foods that can help. Your child is so young to be using the hydrocortisone. I'm not sure what the Refresh PM is though. I have also discovered that her eczema is related to the foods she eats. If she has a period of "junk" foods, it gets worse. If you are nursing, watch what you are eating. If it's the formula, you may want to experiment with others. There may be an allergy issue with your food or possibly the detergent or baby products you are using. I use only natural products on her skin and that has helped too with the outbreaks which are very rare these days. Hope this helps!

My son had the worst eczema at about 7 months old. I used Aquaphor on his face (cheeks and chin) but not near his eyes. He is 20 mon old now and I still use it during the winter months and he hasn't had eczema since. It's expensive but it works!!

We love Aquaphor for all sorts of skin issues too. When my daughter was having troubles with excema, using Aveeno really helped her. We also use a lot of Aveeno products for our senstive skin. Just be cautious as they have a baby lotion that is scented - not sure why as they are usually really good, but I would definitely avoid that. They have a heavier duty variety (both baby and regular I think) that specifically mentions excema on the label. Lathering my daughter in it worked well. Another thought on baths - they actually helped my daughter. You want to leave them in the water long enough for the skin to absorb some water but not get all wrinkly. Winter can be bad, but we found summer to be difficult too - all the sweating can cause it to flare up.

My son is 2 1/2 years old now and had really bad excema but not on his eyes. The best thing that worked was California Baby sensitive skin body and hair wash--it has no scent whatsoever. Their calming cream lotion has worked well for us too. They even make a bubble bath. I usually get it at drugstore.com or have it ordered locally at the health food store. I have a prescription hydrocort. cream but have never had to refil it since I switched to Cal. Baby products. Good luck! www.HomemadeGourmet.com/tuesday815101

I have a son that is 6 1/2 months old and has eczema not on his face though but maybe this will help you? I use Burt's Baby Bee lotion on his body and also Gentle Naturals baby Eczema cream. It keeps his skin moisturized and the ingredients are almost all natural so it is good for them too...you might want to see if he has any specific allergies we are taking our son to get allergy tested as well...hope this helped you :)

My son also has baby eczema, and I was informed that it is an indication of an allergy. One of my neighbors works for an allergist, and told me that they test babies as young as 6 months old. We had him tested and found out that he has several allergies. They prescribed a compound to put on his skin - it's lotion mixed with medicine, and he also takes zyrtec b/c zyrtec has been proven to help prevent/cut down on asthma in children with allergies. Good Luck to you and your little one - I hope the poor little guy finds some relief!!!

S.,

I'm sorry to hear about your son's eczema. Are you breastfeeding? Putting a little breastmilk on his eczema once a day will do wonders. It can cure pink eye and a whole host of ailments.

Good luck!

J.
A Mother's Boutique
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oh my, i'm so sorry to hear about your little one. i also am a 1st time mom of a 4 mo old with ezcema. my little man unfortunately has food allergies (from things in my breast milk). its been a long road for us (since about 2 mo of age). I've tried almost everything under the sun: hydrocortisone cream, aquaphor, cetaphil, eucerine, disney baby excema body wash, Rx lotions from my doc, etc. i found that bathing- without soap) everyday then using the Rx lotion 2X/day during breakouts works best for the excema on my sons face. i also liberally apply aquphor or eucerine lotion several times/day (during diaper changes). by keeping his skin hydrated, the breakouts are usually kept to a minimum....
this is also in cooridination with a drastic change to my dirt. i'm not sure if your breastfeeding, but if you are, watch out for increased skin reactions after you eat things like daairy, soy, wheat, eggs and nuts. i unfortunately had to cut ALL of these out of my diet because i wanted to continue breastf4eeding. if you are using formula, try the soy version. if your baby is sensitive to soy, you'll either have to go to the expensive Rx formula or it might be a good time to try rice cereal.... just make sure you read the ingredients!! some contain wheat! :)
hope this was helpful, and good luck!!!! if you have any other questions, esp if you think your little one might have food sensitivities/allergies, let me know. i can go into more detail if you want!
L.

Hi S.,
I have eczema on my hands. At 4 months old, just use water on his face--you don't even need to use soap on him at all. Bathe him sparingly--after all he's not out working n the salt mines! Just make sure his skin is as dry as it can be, because moisture can definitely make the eczema worse. I've just heard of a line called Arbonne which is supposed to make a really, really good baby oil and lotion for eczema, but I'm not sure about using it near his eyes. You'll probably see improvement in the eczema as the winter ends, and he will most likely outgrow it. Good luck to you!

my son had bad eczema between6-12 months the Dr,prescribed the cortisone but after 1 use I was worried about the side effects,I took him to a dermatologist and found out he was having a food allergy to the baby cereal.She recommended Eucerin and Cetaphlil instead of soap and water. Also Aveeno oatmeal baths .My son is now 12 and he still from time to time has eczema . Especially during change of season.He still uses the same remedy but sometimes we add alittle Desitin mix with Eucerin,Also limit baths,Their skin is dryer than chlidren that dont have eczema. Good luck

Hi S.!

My daughter doesn't have any skin problems but several of my friends kids suffer from exzema and skin rashes. I am not sure if you have had this done or not, but I have heard that eczema can be attributed to food allergies. Has your son ever been tested for food allergies? Just a thought! Good Luck!

M. L.

There's hope. Our youngest son had this condition all over his head, sometimes on his chest and legs too....and outgrew it around 1 year of age. I used aveeno oatmeal (not scented) and Eucerin cream. Both could get in the eyes and cause temporary blurriness, but would not burn. To be honest, nothing really helped-but when we didn't use cream, it did seem to get worse, but I'm wondering if you've seen the information recently on how most baby soaps have an ingredient in them which is bad for boys as far as ruining their fertility.....the ingredient is not required to be listed on the bottles and helps keep the scent in most of the baby washes, lotions, and even in some wipes. Unfortunately, all the other products are quite expensive that can be used. Earth Tribe, Earth Mama/Baby Angel, Miessence were some that were listed that were "safe." I wish I remembered the website, I have it at home if you're interested.

He may have an allergy to dairy
or other food allergy.
http://www.eczema.org/diet.pdf
If cow's milk is in formula, or
if mom is breastfeeding and drinking
or eating dairy, it can effect child.
Ointment is just treating the symptoms,
not the cause. Doctors are only in
the business of treating symptoms.
You must do your own research to find
the cause of the problem.
Beware of doctors who want to pump
your child full of antibiotics. I had to learn
the hard way with my daughter.
Please do your research. Also, vaccine
schedules are polluting young kids whose
immune systems cannot handle all those
shots at once or such a young age.

I recommend what your doctor said and that is using hydrocortisone, and also try using Eucerin Aquaphor. Try not to bathe him every nite either because this will dry out his skin. I dont know what else to recommend since I never had to deal with eczema. HTH!